Math 1371: Information regarding Course Management
CLASS WEBPAGE:
TEXT: Purchase course packets at Alpha Print
(1407 4th Street SE at Dinkytown, phone: (612) 379-8535).
OPTIONAL READING: Stewart, Calculus: Early Transcendentals
GRAPHING CALCULATORS: Students may use a graphing calculator on all examsexcept the gateway exam. You are required to have a calculator, but it neednot be any fancier than a cheap scientific calculator.
COURSE SUPERVISOR: Professor Chester Miracle, VinH 234, (612) 625-2095
However, questions about the course should be directed to the lecturer andworkshop leader for your class.
OFFICE HOURS, PHONE NUMBERS andOFFICE LOCATIONS:see class webpage.
EXAM DATES:
Midterm Exam 1: Thursday, October 4, 2007, 56 PM or 67 PM, location TBA
Midterm Exam 2: Thursday, November 1, 2007, 56 PM or 67 PM, location TBA
Midterm Exam 3:Thursday, December 6, 2007, 5-6 PM or 67 PM, location TBA
Gateway Exams: time and location TBA
Final Exam: Friday, December 14, 2007, 1:304:30 PM, location TBA
Missing exam times and locations will be updated throughout the term in the class webpage (see News and Announcements).
PROCEDURE FOR CALCULATING GRADES:
For each student the workshop leader will compute a *total score* (on a scale
of 0-1050) by adding up
*midterm exam scores* (each on a scale of 0-150)
*homework scores* (total score on a scale of 0-150)
*project score* (on a scale of 0-50)
*Gateway score* (on a scale of 0-50)
*workshop participation* (on a scale of 0-50)
*final exam score* (on a scale of 0-300)
Here's a more detailed description of course work counting toward your grade:
MIDTERMS: There are three midterm exams. Each is 60 minutes long and given ona Thursday evening; you have the option of taking the exam 5-6 p.m. or 6-7p.m. The ground rules are closed book, closed notes, open calculator. Incase of problems or conflicts, contact your workshop leader to arrange a makeup exam. Ignorance of the time and place of an exam will not be accepted asan excuse for absence from the exam. If you do not take an exam a gradeof zero will be assigned for you for that exam. Please use the results of thefirst midterm to help you decide whether you're doing okay, need more help, or should drop the course.
Students who have a regularly scheduled event on Thursday night such asanother class or they must work should inform their workshop leader during thethird week of the semester. Students with such a conflict will take a make upexam on Friday during the day.
HOMEWORK: Homework is assigned once a week and is due on Tuesdays in workshop.
We encourage you to discuss homework problems with your classmates, includingstrategies for solving different kinds of problems. Indeed, this is one ofthe best ways to improve your understanding of the course. However, when youactually write up your solutions you must do this on your own. Handing in homework that is almost identical to a classmate's is a form of cheating. Your homework should be neatly, clearly and logically written. Please becourteous to us and staple your homework together. You are required to showmethods of solution, not just final answers. You are expected to use completesentences and correct grammar. You must hand your homework in on time at the*beginning* of class. Homework failing to meet these standards will not begraded and will be assigned a grade of zero.
PROJECT: Students, in groups of about four, will be assigned a project problemto solve involving calculus. Researching and writing up the solution willrequire a considerable amount of time outside class. Each group is requiredto produce a professional quality report of its findings. Usually, all membersof a group get the same number of points out of the 50 possible. But anygroup member contributing a much-less-than-fair amount of work to a projectwill be penalized.
GATEWAY EXAM: This is the one exam in the course taken without the use of acalculator. In order to pass you must get eight out of ten questionsabsolutely correct. There is no partial credit. Passing the exam on thisfirst try earns 50 points. Passing the exam on the second try earns 40points. On the third try points are awarded according to how many problemsyou get correct. The maximum number of points you can earn on the third tryis 30.
ASSESSING WORKSHOP PARTICIPATION:
Here are some ways you can lose points for workshopparticipation.
- Absent from workshop. After one "free" absence from workshop each absence will result in at least 3 points being subtracted.
- Leaving workshop class early without the permission of your workshopleader.
- Working alone instead of with the other members of your group in workshop.
- Being occupied with activities not directly related to the workshops. You are expected to work the problems or help the other members of your group solve them. Lack of participation or disruptive behavior will be penalized by subtracting at least 5 points.
FINAL EXAM: The final exam is a three hour exam. Questions will be in thesame format as on the midterms. The ground rules are closed book, closednotes, open calculator. We will include a page of formulas with the exam.
CLASS ABSENCE:Class attendance (during lectures) is very important and will be taken into consideration when assigning final grade (see below).
ASSIGNING LETTER GRADES: We translate the total score into a letter grade, so that the top 10% of students have A’s (top two thirds of them sharp A, whereas bottom third A-), next 10% B’s (top, middle and bottom thirds get B+,B,B- correspondingly), next 10% C’s (C+,C,C-), next 6.66% D’s (D+,D), below F. We might change the final letter assignment by one grade (e.g. from B- to B) based on attendance and participation during lecture (doing it in a consistent way).
INCOMPLETES: We will consider giving you an incomplete if you havesuccessfully completed all but a small portion of the work of the course andsome severe, unexpected event prevents you from completing the course. Thismeans that you must have taken at least 2 midterms and must be doing work atthe C-level or better. You will have to sign a contract detailing what youhave to do to complete the course. We cannot give you an incomplete simplybecause you are behind in your work; in the latter case you should try to dropthe course. You may drop a course without permission from your college upthrough the 8th week of the semester.
S/N GRADE: If you are registered S/N we will submit a grade of S provided yourletter grade is C or above, and otherwise a grade of N.
It is your responsibility to know the official IT policy concerning SCHOLASTICCONDUCT. If you have SPECIAL NEEDS, promptly contact the Office for Studentswith Disabilities (624-4037) and your lecturer in order to arrange foraccommodations.